"Almost Absolutely None Of The Hottest New Music Since 2007" News and opinions about the best music ever - the new albums, tours and reissues by the greatest rock, hip-hop, country, blues and reggae artists. With some newer artists thrown in, because there's always great new music being made.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

U2 BACK IN THE LAB

U23D was all well and good, but the exciting news is that U2 is back in the studio with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois working on their new album.

They're in unchartered territory at this point. They still make great records, nearly thirty years on. They can still put out a classic. What band has ever still meant this much after so much time?

It's cool that they are working with Eno and Lanois - the team that produced The Unforgettable Fire and The Joshua Tree; I think they also worked on Achtung Baby. The difference this time - I hear - is that Eno/Lanois aren't just producing, but also co-writing with the band. That should be interesting.

I wonder what happened with Rick Rubin? He worked with the band on the new tracks on the best-of a few years back, including their collaboration with Green Day, "The Saints Are Coming." But I guess they wanted someone who would be around every day, and RR isn't that guy. They probably didn't want to have to worry that they'd call him, and he'd be busy with Metallica or something.

About Me

Who's on tour? What are they playing? Who's still in the band these days? What's on that box set? Don't I have all of that stuff already? That's the stuff NO EXPIRATION sorts out for you. So you don't end up being the loudmouth at the Neil Young show who yells out "Heart Of Gold" when he's only doing garage rock with Crazy Horse. Or you're not the person complaining at George Clinton's shows because Bootsy isn't there (but odds are, he won't be there). You get the idea - I'll let you know what's up, and you won't have to weed through stories about lame celebs or (many) bands you haven't heard of.